Klinger Lake Country Club invite turns 60

The 60th annual Klinger Lake Country Club Invitational began Thursday morning.

Club members gathered on the practice green as the sun continued to rise to honor five elder members prior to the event.

Jim Riley, club president, took the privilege of speaking prior to the actual golf being played, had very kind words to say about the men.

Harry Hunt, 99, is the longest living member at KLCC, Riley said, joining the club in 1948.

Dick Newman, who was on the original committee to start the invitational, was also honored. Chuck Haack, the 1954 club champion who also played in the inaugural invitational, was also part of the five.

Don Fox and Paul Watters, both longtime members, took in the morning and were honored as well.

Fox, Hunt and Jerry Trump all teed off from the No. 1 box Thursday morning in ceremonial fashion.

Trump is the longest active player in the event, Riley said.

The invitational began in 1955 and continues today. The tournament was originally scheduled for the week following the 4th of July but in 1982 was moved to early August. It used to be a four-day tournament as well, but in 2012 was shortened to become a three-day event.

There are six flights in this year’s tournament with six teams of two players competing in each flight.